The insider guide to the best sun holidays

25/03/2011

We all know the benefits of a sun holiday, increased levels of Vitamin D and the corresponding boosts in well-being and creativity. For some of us not lucky enough to live in a sunny climate sun holidays every couple of months are ideal for boosting our levels.

Let's consider sunny destinations, starting with two old favourites. Spain and Portugal are perennial choices of many people from the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe.

Spain

Just about everywhere in Spain is sunny from early April until the end of September. The Costa Brava and the Costa del Sol are popular choices for sun holidays. The south of Spain has a climate similar to North Africa and geographically is only a few kilometres away! The far south of Spain experiences the most sunshine and is therefore the ideal destination. Cadiz, Malaga and Cordoba are all southern Spanish cities.

Portugal

Faro in Portugal is the sunniest place in Europe according to several sources. How sunny? Well, it enjoys over 3,100 hours of sunshine per year, where, in comparison Dublin, Frankfurt and London have half that amount. The Algarve is a popular sun holiday destination.

Malta

The appeal of Malta lies in the fact that English is widely spoken on the island and there are distinct British overtones to the place. At the same time it is exotic, being at the intersection of ancient trade routes between Africa and Europe.

Croatia

Croatia is largely undiscovered and the most alternative sun holiday destination on our list.Croatia has a slightly ragtag feel to it and is perfect for the more adventurous sun seeker.